


Someday at Christmas

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Flirting, Forehead Kisses, Holiday Cheer, Holidays, Music, Riddles, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 06:58:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2842142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye and Coulson must solve the holiday riddles to have a happy holiday after all.</p><p>Title from the Stevie Wonder song of the same name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Someday at Christmas

Coulson looked up curiously at the glitch in the monitor display in his office.

There.  It happened again.

He stood up from his desk and walked towards the back of the room, wondering if he'd imagined it. 

Was it a cyber attack of some kind?  A power surge?

Stopping at the conference table, his fingers tapped against its wooden surface, as though warding off the feeling that was just beginning to settle.

Suddenly, the screen went black.

Coulson frowned and quickly turned toward his desk, ready to bring the Black Box online.  Just as he remembered to head for the door to lock it, Skye suddenly appeared in the entrance.

"Sir," Skye said, concerned, and he turned when her eyes narrowed at the monitor, seeing its light flash against her eyes.

The screen was blank, except for the words:  _What do you get when you deep fry Santa Claus?_

"Is this some kind of joke?" she asked, turning to look at Coulson.  After all, they were down to reserve personnel.  Everyone else had gone home for the holidays to be with their families.

It was just them, and a few Koenigs, since Skye had been reluctant to leave the Playground because of her newly discovered abilities. And because Coulson had firmly decided against leaving her alone.

"I'm not sure," he said, as she went for the touchpad and began tapping away.

"It might not be a hack," she said.  "It almost seems like something overrode the system."

Coulson narrowed his eyes. "Are you good at these things?" he asked.

"What, stupid riddles?" she said, as he turned to her, with his eyebrows raised. "Yeah, maybe.  I had a book of riddles it was my 4th grade obsession."

"I have a feeling about this," he said. "Let's try to solve it."

"Frying Santa," Skye said. "Crisp Kringle?"

The screen went blank again as they looked around the room.

"It seems someone can hear us," he said, smirking slightly.

"Do you think it's Koenig?" Skye asked.

"Doubt it," he said, "But we can ask."

They both nodded and headed downstairs towards the ready room to see the base looking sleepy and silent.

All of the monitors were dead.

They found Koenig in the kitchen, eating some leftover brownies that Simmons had made for the team in a last-ditch attempt to spread holiday cheer.

"Koenig," Coulson said. "Have you noticed anything unusual?"

He stopped, brownie in hand and looked at Coulson and Skye.  "We're out of milk again?"

Skye rolled her eyes and looked around the kitchen.  "All the monitors are out, Billy," she said.

"I'm Sam," he said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, you're sitting down, so I can't tell who is taller," Skye said, crossing her arms.

"Anyway, no, I didn't notice it, but now that you mention it..."

One of the monitors flickered to life on the near wall as they all turned to it.

_Why is Santa so good at karate?_

"I sense a pattern emerging," Coulson said. "The frying reference was for the kitchen, I'm guessing?" he said to Skye.

"Oooh, a riddle," said Sam. "Kewl. I'm just gonna eat this brownie now," he added, pointing at it.

"This doesn't seem strange to you at all?" Skye asked.

"Not really," Sam said. "Strange things afoot.  Maybe it's Santa Claus coming to pay you a visit?"

"You're totally in on this," Skye said.

"Just eatin' my brownie," he said, and did just that.

"Is this some kind of funny protocol you made up to give me holiday cheer or something, Coulson?" Skye said, putting her hand on her hip.

"Does this even seem like something I would do?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.  He'd avoided it because of Trip, because of the feeling hanging over them, and he didn't want her to feel any added pressure around it.

"No," she said, dropping the suspicious look. "Not your style."

"Santa and karate," he said, setting his jaw, thinking it over. "Santa has a black belt?"

The screen went dark again.

"The gym," Skye said, as they both walked out and headed towards the workout room.

"Do you know what this is about?" she asked him as they headed down the hall side by side.

"If it is what I think it is," Coulson said. "I'd prefer holding onto the anticipation for now."

Skye almost growled at him. "I hate waiting out secrets," she said, as he opened the door to the training facilities.

"I know," he said, definitely smirking this time, as he followed her inside.

The room was black and they waited for a moment in the darkness.

"Are you a holidays person, Coulson?" she asked into the lonely room.

"I like the idea of it," he answered. "I only have a few good memories, though. It makes me think of my mom.  Family."

"It makes me want to run for the hills," she said. "The sentiment of it, like family is forced on you, but it's not real?  It wasn't their fault, it's just...I knew it wouldn't last."

He knew she was talking about being in and out of foster care her whole life.  Where SHIELD had put her.  And it had protected her and hurt her in so many ways.

Nothing that he could say was going to change that.  All that he hoped to prove was that he was here for her, that this was real.

Touching her arm gently at the elbow, he started to say something as the monitor at the far end of the room flickered to life.

They both walked towards it, stopped, and read:  _Which elf was the best singer?_

"Music.  Your record player?" she said. "Elves and singing."

"Elvish Presley," they both said at the same time, and started to laugh.

"This is really dumb," Skye said, unable to stop smiling. 

"Let's get this over with, then," he said, presenting his elbow to her as she wrapped her arm through his and they headed out of the room and back down the hallway, back up to his office where it began.

As they passed through the door, the tall man standing behind the desk wearing a Santa hat turned towards them, cigar in hand and black patch over his eye.

The monitor was now displaying a roaring fireplace instead of HYDRA bases dotting the globe.

"Damn, Coulson," he said. "Not _one_ holiday decoration.  What kind of Director are you?"

"Sorry, sir," Coulson said, with the biggest grin on his face Skye had ever seen as he walked toward the man and shook his hand.

"Nice to see you too, Phil," Fury said, making a grimace as Phil hugged him.

"Are you going to introduce me?" he asked, nodding towards Skye.

Skye was smiling over at the two of them, then walked up to Fury and held out a hand as he took it and shook it.

"Hear you've been shaking things up," he said, as Skye looked away for a moment. "Which is why I'm here," he added warmly.

Coulson tensed up for a moment, stepping back to stand beside her, with his shoulder touching Skye's, as her eyes studied him.

"What do you mean?" he asked, the muscles in his jaw tensing.

"Relax, Director Coulson," Fury said, sitting down on the edge of the desk and handing Phil a cigar out of the box on the table. "I come bearing gifts."

Sam and Billy came into the room carrying a case between the two of them, setting it down at their feet.

Billy flipped the latch and opened the metal box, revealing a series of platinum-colored bars lined up in a row.

"This," Fury said, bending down to pick one up.  "Is vibranium.  It's a very rare element, can only be found one place on Earth."

Coulson relaxed and smiled, glancing over at Skye.

"It's what Captain America's shield is made out of," Skye said.

"That is correct," Fury said, pointing at her. "And, it happens to be completely vibration absorbent.  Thought you could use some," he added, putting the bar back in the case and shutting it.

"Thanks," Skye said, unable to hide the grin that had plastered itself across her face.

"I've heard a lot about you, Skye," Fury said, looking over at her. "You need to keep this guy in line for me.  He can get a _little careless_ ," Fury said, staring back at Coulson with his one good eye.

Coulson looked away with a roll of his eyes.

"And as for you," Fury said, getting off of the desk and walking around to the record player.  "You have no Christmas music, man. _I've_ taken care of that."

He turned on the record player, and put the needle on as he handed Coulson the album sleeve of 'A Motown Christmas'.  

"You can thank me later," Fury said. "I also left you some nice scotch, which, I hope I'll be around to share with you sometime in the near future."

"Sir," Coulson said, smiling at him.

"Now, I have to go. I have some other stops to make," Fury said. "It was really nice to meet you, Skye."

"Thanks, likewise," she said, hesitating, then leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"At least someone around here has some damn holiday cheer," he said, looking back at Coulson.

"Ho ho ho. Sir," Phil said awkwardly, raising his hand to wave goodbye.

"I've still got my eye on you, Director," Fury said, and raised his hand, walking out of the room with the Koenigs in tow.

Coulson went around to the makeshift bar on his shelves and picked up the bottle of scotch.

"Great," he said, grabbing a couple of glasses excitedly and nodding to Skye, as he came down to sit on the edge of his desk. "Did you know, that vibranium only comes from one place in the world?  Africa. And this means Fury's opened it up, Stark only had enough for the shield back in the 40s."

"Coulson, slow down," she said, as he handed her a glass. "What are you talking about?"

"Wakanda," he said, excitedly.  

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you so excited," she said, laughing at him a little, she looked down at the scotch in her glass.

"I wanted to say something to you before," he said, feeling hopeful. "We can't do anything about our holidays past, but, it's never too late to start something new."

She felt herself blush a little, and looked up at him as the music turned slow. "That sounds nice," she answered.

He stood up off the desk and held his hand out to her.

Putting down her glass, she stood up and slipped her hand into his as they began swaying to Stevie Wonder singing _Someday at Christmas_.

"I like this," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Maybe this can be our official holiday song?"

"Definitely," he answered, smiling back at her.

"You were going to stand up for me to Fury," she said, searching his eyes. "Thanks."

"With everything that's happened," he started. "I just..." he ran out of words and instead drew her in closer in his arms. "Besides, you're family."

"I like that, too," she replied, resting her head against his shoulder as they swayed together.

"Merry Christmas, Skye," he said, leaning his cheek against her forehead, then kissing it.

"Merry Christmas, sir."


End file.
